Olympus PEN E-P3 in-depth review

Resolution Chart Comparison (JPEG and RAW)

Images on this page are of our standard resolution chart which provides for measurement of resolution up to 4000 LPH (Lines Per Picture Height). A value of 20 equates to 2000 lines per picture height. For each camera we use the relevant prime lens (the same one we use for all the other tests in a particular review). The chart is shot at a full range of apertures and the sharpest image selected. Studio light, cameras set to aperture priority (optimum aperture selected), image parameters default. Exposure compensation set to deliver approximately 80% luminance in the white areas.

What we want to show here is how well the camera is able to resolve the detail in our standard test chart compared to the theoretical maximum resolution of the sensor, which for the charts we shoot is easy to work out - it's simply the number of vertical pixels (the chart shows the number of single lines per picture height, the theoretical limit is 1 line per pixel). Beyond this limit (which when talking about line pairs is usually referred to as the Nyquist frequency) the sensor cannot faithfully record image detail and aliasing occurs.

This limit is rarely attained, because the majority of sensors are fitted with anti-aliasing filters. Anti-aliasing filters are designed to reduce unpleasant moiré effects, but in doing so, they also reduce resolution (the relative strength and quality of these filters varies from camera to camera). In theory though, a sensor without an AA filter, when coupled with a 'perfect' lens, will deliver resolution equal to its Nyquist limit. Therefore, even though it may be effectively unattainable with normal equipment in normal shooting situations, an understanding of a sensor's theoretical limit provides a useful benchmark for best possible performance. Nyquist is indicated in these crops with a red line.

On this page we're looking at both JPEG and Raw resolution. For a (more) level playing field we convert the latter using Adobe Camera Raw. Because Adobe Camera Raw applies different levels of sharpening to different cameras (this confirmed) we use the following workflow for these conversions:

Vertical resolution

JPEG

RAW

Horizontal resolution

JPEG

RAW

The E-P3 produces results in our resolution test that are to all intents and purposes the same as the E-PL2. Its relatively light anti-aliasing filter allows it to render the lines on the chart with good separation to at least 2300 LPH, and the image processing removes moire very effectively. It's worth noting though that the default JPEG sharpening is quite aggressive, resulting in very obvious haloing artefacts around the lines and numbers of the chart (which is fairly typical for Olympus).

The processed raw (using a Beta varsion of ACR 6.5) likewise shows impressively fine resolution, and while there's visibly more colour moire, the narrower-radius sharpening we've applied results in a cleaner image without sharpening artefacts. Overall the E-P3's results are very good for a 12MP sensor, but naturally it can't quite match the resolution offered by the likes of the 16 MP Panasonic G3.

More about gear in this article

Olympus has issued updated firmware for its latest PEN models to better cope with the recently launched Micro Four Thirds power zoom lenses. Firmware v1.2 is supposed to result in a more accurate display of focal length on the camera display, in EXIF data and in playback. Firmware can be downloaded either via the Olympus camera software or by using the 'Digital Camera Updater' utility downloaded from the company's website.

Olympus has updated the firmware for its range-topping PEN E-P3 mirrorless camera. Firmware v1.1 corrects a bug that stopped the buttons working if the touch screen was contacted when an optional electronic viewfinder is used. It also corrects the fault by which the AF points were not shown when the camera is used with an Eye-Fi card. Users must download the Olympus Digital Camera Updater software to apply the update.

Just Posted: Although it retains its predecessor's styling, the Olympus PEN E-P3 shares very little else with its forebears. There's still a 12MP Four Thirds-sized sensor at its heart, but its autofocus, rear screen and movie capabilities have all been radically overhauled. Crucially, Olympus has also managed to squeeze a flash into the body. Now sitting at the top of a three-model range, the E-P3 is clearly positioned as a camera for enthusiasts. So, do its third-generation refinements and promises of world-beating AF performance make the E-P3 into the camera that the PEN series always promised to be?

Just Posted: Olympus E-P3 studio Raw files and Raw conversions. We've been given access to an early beta of Adobe Camera Raw 6.5 which will include Raw support for the recently-announced Olympus PEN E-P3. We've used it to process our standard studio samples, allowing direct comparisons between the PEN and its peers. We've also included the original Raw files for download so that you can put them through your own image workflow as Raw processors become available that offer support.

We've added three additional images to our samples gallery for the Olympus E-P3 with revised processing. Following concerns expressed about the levels of noise reduction and sharpening being applied by the camera's default settings, we have re-processed the images with the sharpening and noise reduction minimized. Having confirmed that re-processing raw files in-camera gave the same results as shooting natively at these settings, we re-processed three of our gallery images to allow side-by-side comparison with the default settings.

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